Hand-brake for flat-cars.



J. F. OCONNOR.

HAND BRAKE FOR FLAT CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 191s.

1,300,471. Patent-@d Apr. 15, 1919. fgz

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JOHN F. OCONNOR, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, vASSIGrlI'OlR. TO WILLIAM I-I. IVIINER,

` NEW YORK.

or en AzY,

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application mea February 1e, 191s. seri`a1 No. 217,511.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the lUnited States, residing at Ghi-` cago, in the county of Cook andfState of Illinois, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement ,in Hand-Brakes for Flat- Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication.

This invention relates to improvements in hand brake for flat cars. v

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and compact hand brake suitable for use on flat cars and which will occupy a minimum Yof space and have all the parts thereof so disposed as to avoid interference with any loading which may be on the car.

In the drawing forming a part of this speciication,Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of theend of a flat car showing my improvements in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken substantiallyon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. And Fig. 4 is a sectional view parallel to that of Fig. 3, but taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

In said drawing, denotes the end sill of a iiat car and to which my improved hand brake is preferably applied.

The improved brake, as shown, includes a supporting casting 11 having a main back plate 12Vsecured to the end sill `by any suitable means, such as the bolts 13, and from said plate 12 extend outwardly a pair of bracket arms 14-14 at each end thereof. Carried in said arms 14 near the outer ends of the latter is a heavy pin 15 adapted to act as an axle for a chain-winding drum or spool 16, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. Said drum 16 is provided at one end with a flange 17 and near the center thereof with a bevel gear 18. To the opposite side ofthe gear 18 is formed a hollow sleeve 19 on which is rotatably supported a second bevel gear 20. Interposed between the bevel gears 18 and 20 and rotatably mounted on a stud shaft 21 is a third bevel gear 22, the latter being also provided with a ratchet wheel 23 preferably formed integral therewith. The gear 20 is also provided with a peripheral ratchet wheel 24 for the purpose hereinafter dethe spring scribed. As will be understood, the brake-4 chain is adapted to bev attached to the drum 16, as indicated at 25 in Fig. 1, and as the drumA 16. is rotated, the chain will be wound therearound to apply the brakes.

In order to effect rotation of said drum 16 in a direction to tighten the brake-chain I employ a hand lever 26 having an annu ar inner end 27 which fits over the ratchet wheel 23, the latter forming a suitable bearing therefor. The handle 26 is hollow and near the annular end 27 there is mounted therein a slidable pawl 28 adapted to coperate with the ratchet wheel 23. Said' pawl 28 has a finger 29 with which engages a spring 3() and: at its end, said pawl 28 is engaged by anotherspring 31 that in turn is adapted to be compressed by a lunger 32 operable from a bell-crank grip'- andle 33.

In normal position of the parts, ythe pawl 28 occupies the position shown in Fig. 4,'that is, the 'spring 30 vis of suiiicient strength to disengage the pawl from theratchet wheel 23. In operating the device, however,'the user will naturally grip the vbell-crank handle 33 and therebyforce the plunger 32 inwardly, which in turn will compress the spring 31 to such an extent as to overcome and thereby have the pawl 28 engage the ratchet wheel 23. The pawl is so arranged that the ratchet wheel 23 will be actuated as the operating handle 26 is pulled downwardly, whereby the brakeman obtains the bestl leverage action. As the operating handle 26 swings upwardly or clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, even though the hand-grip 33 is depressed, the pawl 28 can slide over the ratchet wheel 23. With this arrangement, it is evident that the bevel gear 22 can be rotated step-by-step in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, which will cause a corresponding rotation of the drum 16 to wind the chain.

In order to prevent unwinding of the chain, I employ a pawl 34 pivotally mounted between a pair of upstanding ears 35, said pawl 34 being carried on a pin 36. As will be apparent, the pawl 34 engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24 and prevents the latf ter from rotating in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, so that, the bevel gear 2O being held against rotation, the drum 16 will be similarly held through the intermediary of the bevel gear 22.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

To effect release7 I; employ a releaseleverl 37 also mounted on said pin 36 and extending through an enlarged recess 38 in the ing a linger-piece 40, said -latch 39 -being slid-i if able horizontally in suitable recessesl prol vided therefor `in upstanding arms 41 and 42. Said latch 39-is so designed that one-end is adapted=to engage olverI the operating handleY 26 andthe lotheren'd over the release lever 27' andv the lengthof the latch is made so that it must-be over either the handle 26 or the lever 37 in order to operate either one thereof'jfWith this`arrangement,it is evident that the releaseleverv37l cannot be lifted up unless'ithe'latch39` is extended over the handle 26 soV that,v should by anyy accident the pawl `28 bein engagement with the ratchet wheel 235 sudden release of the chain by dis-J engaging the pawl 34 will not ycause the operating handle'26 to be thrown upwardly' and thereby possibly strike the brakeman.

From the preceding description,j it will be seen that the improved brake is so designed that it can be employed on the end of a freight car and will not occupy vavertical space greater-or substantially greater than the verticalheight of the end sill and that all theparts will ldheiefore be normally below the level of the Yfloor of the Hat At the same time,'the 'operating handle 26 isl so located' that it affords agood "grip for 'the brakemanf when'he is standing on' the step at the end of the car and permitshim to exertv his strength in winding the chain by pulling on lthe handle and'without the necessity of using eitlhzer foot to control a foot-operated locking dog, such as has lheretofore been a common practice." 'Y

Although Il have herein shown Vand'de-V scribedwhat Il now consider thepreferred embodimentrof my invention, the same is merely illustrative, and- I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto;

I claim.:v y l. In a brake mechanism for aflat car, the

combination with a chain-winding element rotatab'leaboutl a horizontal axis eXtendin transversely of the car; of a ratchet wheel;-

a pawl-actuatinglever oscillatabl'e about a horizontal laXis extending longitudinally of the c-a-r,' saidf lever being operable from the side of the lcar; and :means Ainterposed vbetween said ratchet Wheel and said element f beveled-gear coperable with ythe first-named for communicating movement of the former to the latter to thereby eect winding of the Y chain. pawl 34. "Thelever x37 is so arrangedwith 2. In a brakemechanism"'forzflat'carsg the'f' combination with a chain-winding element; 70 of a ratchetwlieel for rotating said element;

a pawl operating lever coperable with said ratchet wheel and having a handle normally.I extending toward and operable from the side .of the car; a locking dog to hold said ele- 75 nient againstreverse rotation w'hen the chain iis wound thereon; and an operating releasefww handle for 'said do also eXtendedi'toward-f l and operable from tie side of the carsL 3. In a windingmechanism, the combinav tion with a rotatable chain-winding elementi; I -of a ratchet'wheel; 'a pawlf actuatingfileverl 'for rotating saidfratchet wheel step-by-stepf-' 7 gearing? associated withv said ratchet 'f wheel-@Uil Vfor rotating saidfdr'um; means 'for locking? a5 i said drum againstreverserotation; fs-aid-lA means including ya `lo'ckiii,1 i; dog- Iaf'releasei i lever for disengaging the f dog-saidf release fuif lever 'and actuatinglever 'beingeXten'dedqnfl 1 the same direction andf-operableffrom the 1.90 same vposition of tlieoperatorfland'asupporting bracket for -J all Cof said partsl by which' the 'sameare-adapte'd to be mountedif-if on a car or other structure-'1 4. In a winding mechanism, the combina'- 595 tion with a supportinglcastiiiig'gcfachain-'- winding drum rotatablyflmounted'on said-@M casting 'and' having ai"- beveled f gear;1of a-l i f bevel gear; a pawll actuating-leverlc'operr able with theratcliet wheelgifaf-` thirdbevel -Sff' gear meshingy with; the ratchet wheel-bevel s105- gear; la llocking -dog' '-'fcoperabl'e with E-tlie i third named'bevel gear-'4; ain-dlal releaselever'f for disengaging saiddog, saidA releaselever-*cfE y and the f actuating lever -beingf-eXtended-.inthe samefdireetion so' that both 'maybe oper-T110 ated bythe operator-'from the same"position.ff- 5. In a winding' mechanism; the combina? tion with al supportin -casting-;`-of a chaih'- winding drum-rctata lyilmountedon saidi casting 'andlhavingal bevel gear';of-zii-ratchetv 4-1-15 'gles to the axis of rotationiof 'the drurmsaidilf' ratchet wheel having also bevelf gear -e'O-ffft v operable with 1the first-nt'unedfbevel'gear;V pawl'actuating leverf'coperablewitlfthe 2 l' ratchet wheel; 'a thirdl bevel gearl Ameshing 'f' with the ratchetwlheel bevel gearf;` locki-n' 4 dog coperablev .with the third -na'inedE bevl Y A andA a release f lever forf'di'sengagiii so that both-:maybe .operated'by the foperatr1 from the vfsame positionlg and 'mearis'f-or suring locking of'- one o'fsaid levers whflethe other vis beingoperated l? Y 6. In a brake mechanism for a flat car having an end sill, t'he combination with a supporting bracket extending in a generally horizontal direction and secured to said end sill, of a chain Winding drum rotatably mounted on said bracket about a horizontal axis extending substantially parallel to the end sill, of a ratchet Wheel rotatably mountL ed on said bracket about a horizontal axis extending perpendicular to the end Sill7 a pavvl operating lever oscillatable in a vertical plane parallel to Said end sill, said lever in normal condition extending toward one end of said end sill and arranged to be dis= posed entirely beloviT the top plane of said end sill, and means interposed between said ratchet Wheel and said drum for communieating movement of the ratchet Wheel to the drum.

In Witness that I claim the foregoin have hereunto subscribed my name this th day of Feb., 1918.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

